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. 2024 Aug;131(Suppl 3):113-124.
doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.17865. Epub 2024 Jun 10.

Neonatal jaundice incidence, risk factors and outcomes in referral-level facilities in Nigeria

Sunny Ochigbo  1 , Patrick Ekpebe  2 , Eno Etim Nyong  3 , Okonkwo Ikechukwu  4 , Amarabia Ibeawuchi  5 , Andrew Eigbedion  6 , Oyedeji Oladele Adeyemi  7 , Aniekan Abasiattai  8 , Ngozi Orazulike  9 , Mabel Ekott  10 , Lawrence Omo-Aghoja  11 , Babatunde Ande  12 , Charles Uwagboe  13 , Solomon Igbarumah  14 , Ebenovbe Idemudia  14 , Joyce Okagua  9 , Tina Lavin  15 , Luz Gibbons  16 , Eugenia Settecase  16 , Anthonia Njoku  17 , Isa Ayuba Ibrahim  18 , Saturday Etuk  10
Affiliations

Neonatal jaundice incidence, risk factors and outcomes in referral-level facilities in Nigeria

Sunny Ochigbo et al. BJOG. 2024 Aug.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the incidence, risk factors and outcomes of babies with neonatal jaundice in a network of referral-level hospitals in Nigeria.

Design: A cross-sectional analysis of perinatal data collected over a 1-year period.

Setting: Fifty-four referral-level hospitals (48 public and 6 private) across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

Population: A total of 77 026 babies born at or admitted to the participating facilities (67 697 hospital live births; plus 9329 out-born babies), with information on jaundice between 1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020.

Methods: Data were extracted and analysed to calculate incidence and sociodemographic and clinical risk factors for neonatal jaundice.

Main outcome measures: Incidence and risk factors of neonatal jaundice in the 54-referral hospitals in Nigeria.

Results: Of 77 026 babies born in or admitted to the participating facilities, 3228 had jaundice (41.92 per 1000 live births). Of the 67 697 hospital live births, 845 babies had jaundice (12.48 per 1000 live births). The risk factors associated with neonatal jaundice were no formal education (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.68, 95% CI 1.11-2.52) or post-secondary education (aOR 1.17, 95% CI 0.99-1.38), previous caesarean section (aOR 1.68, 95% CI 1.40-2.03), booked antenatal care at <13 weeks or 13-26 weeks of gestation (aOR 1.58, 95% CI 1.20-2.08; aOR 1.15, 95% CI 0.93-1.42, respectively), preterm birth (aOR 1.43, 95% CI 1.14-1.78) and labour more than 18 hours (aOR 2.14, 95% CI 1.74-2.63).

Conclusions: Hospital-level and regional-level strategies are needed to address newborn jaundice, which include a focus on management and discharge counselling on signs of jaundice.

Keywords: neonatal jaundice; neonatal outcome; referral hospitals; risk factors.

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References

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